SK election gun ban starts tomorrow

MANILA, Philippines - The election period for the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections officially starts tomorrow.

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) said yesterday that gun ban and other “prohibited acts” shall also be in effect from Jan. 22 to March 2, or 30 days before and 15 days after election day.

Based on Comelec Minute Resolution No. 15-0026, all gun ban exemptions issued for the May 2013 local and national elections and October 2013 barangay polls will not be honored.

But Comelec spokesman James Jimenez said that law enforcers and security personnel in the country could apply for renewal of their Certificates of Authority/Gun Ban Exemptions.

“All existing authority granting security personnel or bodyguards are likewise revoked,” he added, except the regular security complement of the President, Vice President, senators, congressmen and governors, all local elective officials (except barangay officials), justices, judges, Cabinet secretaries, chairman and commissioners of the Commission on Elections, chief of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and Philippine National Police, major service commanders, director generals and senior officers of the PNP.

According to Jimenez, all security personnel deployed from units of the PNP, AFP and other law enforcement agencies shall be recalled tomorrow.– With Eva Visperas